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You Can't Win Lyrics
If you go, they'll say you're following
If you don't, then you're too good for them
If you smile, you must be ignorant
If you don't, what's your problem?
If you're down, so ungrateful
And if you're happy, why so selfish?
And, you can't win
No, you can't win, no
The one who doesn't quite fit in
Underdressed under your skin
Oh, a walking disaster
Every time you try to fly
You end up falling out of line, oh
You can't can't win, no
If you're thin, poor little walking disease
If you're not, they're all screaming obese
If you're straight, why aren't you married yet?
If you\re gay, why aren't you waving a flag?
If it's wrong, you're knowing it
If it's right, you'll always miss
You can't win, no
You can't win, no
The one who doesn't quite fit in
Underdressed under your skin
Oh, a walking disaster
Every time you try to fly
You end up falling out of line, oh
You can't can't win, no
And you try, you try so hard
But it's wearing on your heart
And you play, you play the game
But you pay, you pay for it
You can't win, no
You can't win no
If you speak, you'll only piss 'em off
If you don't, you're another robot
If you stop, they'll just say you quit
If you don't, you might lose your shit
You can't win, no
You can't win, no
You can't win, nooo
The one who doesn't quite fit in
Underdressed under your skin
Oh, a walking disaster
Every time you try to fly
You end up falling out of line, oh
You can't can't win, no
I can't win
The one who doesn't quite fit in
Underdressed under your skin
Oh, a walking disaster
Every time you try to fly
You end up falling out of line, oh
You can't can't win, no
If you don't, then you're too good for them
If you smile, you must be ignorant
If you don't, what's your problem?
And if you're happy, why so selfish?
And, you can't win
No, you can't win, no
Underdressed under your skin
Oh, a walking disaster
Every time you try to fly
You end up falling out of line, oh
You can't can't win, no
If you're not, they're all screaming obese
If you're straight, why aren't you married yet?
If you\re gay, why aren't you waving a flag?
If it's wrong, you're knowing it
If it's right, you'll always miss
You can't win, no
You can't win, no
Underdressed under your skin
Oh, a walking disaster
Every time you try to fly
You end up falling out of line, oh
You can't can't win, no
But it's wearing on your heart
And you play, you play the game
But you pay, you pay for it
You can't win, no
You can't win no
If you don't, you're another robot
If you stop, they'll just say you quit
If you don't, you might lose your shit
You can't win, no
You can't win, no
You can't win, nooo
Underdressed under your skin
Oh, a walking disaster
Every time you try to fly
You end up falling out of line, oh
You can't can't win, no
Underdressed under your skin
Oh, a walking disaster
Every time you try to fly
You end up falling out of line, oh
You can't can't win, no
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
oh hey 2011 anthem
It's about trying to please everyone and realizing that you can't.
It basically means "Damned if you do, damned if you don't". "If you follow the crowd, they say you're a conformist. If you don't, then they say you're a freak" are lyrics I would have put in the song if I had written it.
Clarkson penned the song when she was touring her previous album, All I Ever Wanted. She explained the song's meaning to SameSame.com.au: "I wrote the song about having a really hard time with not even just people I was working with but just media, and the portrayal of All I Ever Wanted, fans and friends and family… everybody was like, you can't win. If you're the girl next door it's like 'boring', or if you're wild and crazy it's like 'oh you need to go to rehab'. Or people will be like 'Oh, you're gay, right?', and I'm like 'well, no', but then it's like 'if you're straight, why aren't you married?', so it's like I can't win either way! It's that whole thing of I'm never gonna please you, so I'm going to stop trying."
Clarkson wrote the song in Germany whilst her make up artist was trying to get her ready for one of her gigs. She recalled to SameSame.com.au: "I wrote it during hair and make-up, and so she was trying to do stuff and I was like 'I need to go to the bathroom and record this in Garageband or I'm gonna forget the melody!' so I had to go and do it; I always do that to her and she gets pissed off, but I can't help it! You get inspired when you get inspired!"